It has recently been announced that Bridgeport’s Kara Alvarez will serve as Queen Sylvia LXXX at the Mountain State Forest Festival, to be held Oct. 1-9 in Elkins.

 

“In a lot of ways, being Queen Silvia gives me a great opportunity to give back to our region and state that many people do not have the opportunity to experience,” Alvarez said. “The Forest Festival is such a large tradition in West Virginia as it is celebrating its 80^th year. It is an honor to be a part of the festival family.”

 

Alvarez, 21, said she developed a soft spot for the festival when her sister Andria was a member of the festival royal court back in 2009.

 

“Her experience was so great that when I was called about being nominated to be Maid/Queen Silvia, I couldn’t turn it down,” she said. “

 

Although she grew up in Bridgeport, Alvarez went to high school at Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania. She thereafter attended Furman University in Greenville, SC from 2013-2015. At Furman, she was a member of Delta Delta Delta Sorority and during her sophomore year was captain of the Club Swim Team. Alvarez transferred to West Virginia University in the fall of 2015 and participated there in club swimming.

 

“I also volunteered at Once a Mountaineer, Always a Mountaineer Day of Play,” she said. “This upcoming year, I am the community service representative for the club swim team.”

 

At WVU, Alvarez is studying child development and family studies with an emphasis on Pre-K and special education. She enters her junior year this fall. She plans to someday work with children with disabilities.

During summers, Alvarez works as an executive assistant at Energy Transportation.

 

She really looks forward to reigning over this year’s Mountain State Forest Festival, which will feature the theme “Celebrate!” She will be crowned by Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin during an outdoor royal coronation which takes place 2 p.m. Oct. 7 at the Davis & Elkins College amphitheater. Her court includes 40 princesses from around West Virginia, two maids of honor and a minor court.

 

Alvarez is the daughter of David and Kimberly Alvarez and the granddaughter of the late Manuel Alvarez II and Mary Gloria Alvarez and Robert and Anna Mae Mosser, all of Bridgeport. In addition to her sister Andria, she has a sister Laura and brother David. 

 

Read more about the Mountain State Forest Festival at the festival Web site HERE.